Hesperaloe plant named ‘MSWNPerma’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hesperaloe  plant named ‘MSWNPerma’, characterized by its relatively compact plant habit; vigorous growth habit; upright dark purple-colored peduncles; campanulate brownish red to dark purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hesperaloe parviflora.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MSWNPerma’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Hesperaloe Plant Named ‘MSWNPered’

Applicant: Ronald E. Gass

Filed: May 11, 2016

Ser. No. 14/999,472

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHesperaloe plant, botanically known as Hesperaloe parviflora andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘MSWNPerma’.

The new Hesperaloe plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Glendale, Ariz. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new freely flowering Hesperaloe plantswith unique flower form and color.

The new Hesperaloe plant originated from an open-pollination of anunnamed selection of Hesperaloe parviflora, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Hesperaloe parviflora, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Hesperaloe plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor on Apr. 1, 2007 as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Glendale, Ariz.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hesperaloe plant by tissue culture sinceApr. 10, 2010, in a controlled greenhouse environment in Waseca, Minn.,has shown that the unique features of this new Hesperaloe plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hesperaloe have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MSWNPerma’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘MSWNPerma’ as a new anddistinct Hesperaloe plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Upright dark purple-colored peduncles.    -   4. Campanulate brownish red to dark purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hesperaloe can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Hesperaloe differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hesperaloe are more compact than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hesperaloe are brownish red to        dark purple in color whereas flowers of plants of the female        parent selection are yellow to salmon or coral in color.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hesperaloe are more        upright and shorter than inflorescences of plants of the female        parent selection.

Plants of the new Hesperaloe can be compared to plants of the Hesperaloeparviflora ‘MSWNPered’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 14/999,472 filed concurrently. Plants of the new Hesperaloe differfrom plants of ‘MSWNPered’ primarily in flower color as plants of‘MSWNPered’ produce flowers that are bright red in color.

Plants of the new Hesperaloe can also be compared to plants ofHesperaloe funifera×Hesperaloe parviflora ‘Perfu’, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 21,728. Plants of the new Hesperaloe differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘Perfu’ in flower color as plants of ‘Perfu’ havepink-colored flowers. Additionally, plants of the new Hesperaloe aremore compact than plants of ‘Perfu’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hesperaloe plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Hesperaloe plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘MSWNPerma’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘MSWNPerma’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants of the new Hesperaloe grown during the springin one-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Glendale, Ariz. andunder cultural practices and conditions which closely approximatecommercial production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 30° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 16° C. to 21° C. Plants were three years old when the photographsand the description were taken. In the description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hesperaloe parviflora ‘MSWNPerma’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Hesperaloe            parviflora, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Hesperaloe            parviflora, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 56 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 77 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 105            days.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white to            brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial subshrub; upright            plant habit; vigorous growth habit; leaves arranged in a            basal rosette with a upright central flower stalk.        -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescence.—About            109 cm.        -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane.—About            46 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 64 cm.-   Stem description:    -   -   Internode length.—About 4 mm.        -   Aspect.—Upright.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 157C; leaves cover the stem.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—In a basal rosette, whorled; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 61 cm.        -   Width.—At the apex, about 2.5 mm; mid-section, about 8 mm;            at the base, about 5.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate; concave.        -   Apex.—Acuminate; apices are sharply pointed.        -   Base.—Clasping the stem.        -   Margin.—Entire; filiferous with tough curly fibers.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; rigid            and fibrous; longitudinally ridged; succulent.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147B; at the base,            close to NN155C to NN155D; venation, close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; at the base,            close to NN155C to NN155D; venation, close to 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single            campanulate flowers; flowers arranged in terminal upright            branched racemes; freely flowering habit with about 325            flowers per inflorescence at one time; flowers initially            face upright and outwardly.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering during the            spring and summer in Arizona.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence length, including peduncle.—About 102 cm.        -   Inflorescence length, section with flowers.—About 33 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 184A.        -   Flower segments.—Quantity and arrangement: Six segments per            flower arranged in two whorls. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:            About 5 mm. Shape: Elliptical, narrow. Apex: Acute; not            flared. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly succulent. Color:            When opening, inner surface: Close to 181B. When opening,            outer surface: Close to 183C; towards the apex, close to            183A. Fully opened, inner surface: Close to 181B; color            becoming closer to 187B to 187C with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 182A; towards the apex,            close to 183B; color does not change with development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 55 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly glaucous. Color: Close to 194A tinged            with close to 183C to 183D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° to 45° from peduncle            axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 183C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About            six. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to            182C. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 4 mm.            Anther color: Close to 12A. Amount of pollen: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to 15B. Gynoecium: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Style length: About            1.1 cm. Style color: Close to NN155C. Stigma appearance:            Rounded. Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close            to 154C.        -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed on plants of            the new Hesperaloe.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hesperaloe have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −28° C. to about 48° C.-   Pathogen & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Hesperaloe have been    observed to be tolerant to pathogens and pests common to Hesperaloe    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hesperaloe plant named ‘MSWNPerma’as illustrated and described.